On the advice of an orchestra musician, he followed the lessons of Antoine Elwart at the Conservatoire de Paris, where he obtained a first prize of harmony.

From 1872 to 1877, he conducted the bals of the Opéra-Comique, the orchestra of the Folies Bergère[1] for which he composed several ballets, including Les Volontaires.

In 1885, he established at Palais Vivienne the "soirées Metra" which consisted of promenade concerts, dances and parties on Wednesday and Saturday evenings.

In 1888, he created at the Théâtre des Bouffes-Parisiens his operetta Le Mariage avant la lettre on a libretto by Adolphe Jaime and Georges Duval.

Olivier Métra is buried at Bois-le-Roi, his monumental tomb is adorned with a bust by Antonin Mercié.